From My Kind of Food by Valli Little

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Valli Little is the author of 10 bestselling cookbooks and her recipes have inspired a generation of home cooks to be more adventurous in the kitchen. Her new book, My Kind of Food, contains 100 more recipes that are sure to continue that theme.

Valli's recipes have irresistible twists on unique ingredients and trends plus clever reinterpretations of traditional favourites. In this recipe, she urges you to try some easy home-smoking for a very tasty result.

Home-smoked Salmon with Cucumber ‘Fettucine’ & Chilli Butter

Please don’t be put off by the thought of home-smoking – with a hooded barbecue it’s really easy and the resulting flavour and texture are quite delicious.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1/2 cup (115g) caster sugar

4 x 200g salmon fillets, skin on, pin boned

1/2 cup (95g) cooked jasmine rice

1/2 cup firmly packed (115g) brown sugar

1/2 cup (40g) lapsang souchong or assam tea leaves

4 strips orange zest

4 Lebanese cucumbers

1/4 cup chopped mint, plus extra leaves to garnish

1 tbs black sesame seeds

1 tbs lemon juice

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to brush

Chilli butter

125g unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

To make a brine, place the caster sugar in a saucepan with 1 cup (315g) salt and 2½ cups (625ml) cold water and stir over medium heat until dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.

Place the fish in a large zip-lock bag or bowl and add the brine. Seal or cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour (no longer).

Meanwhile, for the chilli butter, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Form into a sausage shape on a piece of plastic wrap, roll up and secure the ends. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up.

In a hooded barbecue with a rack, preheat the plate to medium. To make a smoking mixture, combine the rice, brown sugar, tea leaves and orange zest in a small foil barbecue tray. Place the tray on the barbecue plate, close the hood and heat for 5–6 minutes.

Drain the salmon and pat dry. Brush with a little oil. Place the salmon on the barbecue plate, skin side down, and cook for 2–3 minutes to crisp the skin. Transfer the fish to the rack so it’s sitting above the smoking mixture. Close the hood and smoke for 10 minutes until the salmon gently flakes with a fork.

Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, shave long thin strips from the cucumbers, discarding the central part containing the seeds.

Place in a bowl with the mint and black sesame seeds. Combine the lemon juice and olive oil and season. Drizzle over the cucumber and toss to coat.

To serve, place a pile of the cucumber on each plate and top with some salmon. Slice the butter into discs and serve on top.

Garnish with a few mint leaves.

This recipe is reproduced with the kind permission of the publisher.

My Kind of Food by Valli Little is published by ABC Books/Harper Collins (Sydney, NSW; Mar 2017; Pb, 240pp, RRP A$39.99). It will be available in bookshops from 27th March 2017 and can be found to purchase online via booko.com.au »

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